Well, I can't change anyone's opinion, but I think Tropical Freeze looks just fine. I never had a problem with the way the mine kart levels were handled in Returns, but obviously some people did.

What really upsets me though, is the people that write this game off and bash Retro simply because they wanted Medtroid.

The level that upset me the most was the one where tidal waves come in from the background. The first time playing it you won't know what's safe to stand in front of. If that's not trial and error, then I don't know what is.

The level that upset me the most was the one where tidal waves come in from the background. The first time playing it you won't know what's safe to stand in front of. If that's not trial and error, then I don't know what is.

That was one of my favorite levels.. I don't remember having any problem knowing which things I could hide behind though. It was still a pretty challenging level regardless, I remember becoming a little frustrated. (I tend to like that though, makes the beating it that much sweeter.)

The reviews of this game won't deter me from getting it, especially Gamespots. They only have 1 or 2 reviewers that I trust and McShea definitely isn't one of them. This game is still staying preordered for me. Can't wait.

@DudeSean: Tidal Terror trial-and-error? You hide behind rocks to avoid the waves. That should come natural.

Did you even read my post? It's not as simple as hiding behind rocks because some of the rocks fall down when the tidal wave hits resulting in an instant death. You don't know it's not safe until you try to hide in front of it and die. Trial. And. Error.

I've yet to hide behind anything in that level and get swept away. If the rock is short, you duck. That's pretty obvious, so I'm not with you at all on that one. In fact, it didn't take long for my 6-year old to beat that one.

That being said, there are definitely some levels where you have to live and learn in DKC Returns for 3DS. There is no way anyone here went through every level without messing up plenty of times before getting the routine down in order to pass it. However, that's a positive in my book. I disagree with a lot of reviewers in that aspect. It's refreshing to have a game series as challenging as the DK series.

I've yet to hide behind anything in that level and get swept away. If the rock is short, you duck. That's pretty obvious, so I'm not with you at all on that one. In fact, it didn't take long for my 6-year old to beat that one.

You think you're funny, don't you? You disagree with me so you try to belittle me by saying a 6 year old did better. Well, facts are facts, jack, and you trying to be cute doesn't change that.

@DudeSean: But the wall that crumbles after getting hit once doesn't hit you; it just gives you protection from one wave. I fail to understand your argument for Tidal Terror being trial-and-error.

My argument? It's a fact that if you hide in front of the wrong rock it results in an instant death. Once you learn that you can't hide behind the smaller rocks without ducking then it's fine, but it requires trial and error to learn that. Or you're just lucky the first time and figure it out without dying.

Just to be clear here, I don't know if the 3DS version is any different, but I've only played the Wii version.

The more Nintendo Direct shows off Mario Kart 8, the more excited I get for the game. Unfortunately, it is the opposite of what I'm feeling about Tropical Freeze. How is the latest Nintendo Direct trailer of Tropical Freeze any different from last year's e3 direct?

Tom McShea is the reason i don't go on gamespot anymore. His Skyward Sword review was just silly and there mostly to make a name for himself. Although i appreciate reviews are just one person's opinion i believe the larger game review sites need to try and get the right people reviewing the right games, if someone is going into a review with a negative bias then it isn't fair on the game. I think the famitsu approach is a good one although can imagine having to get 4 people to review each game could be expensive and time-consuming. Will still be a day one buy for me to support the big N but it will have to go to the back of the queue wii u - wise. Just completed champions road on SMB3DW, next game in darksiders 2 and still have pikmin 3, wonderful 101, windwaker, rayman and more to play....

@DudeSean- Don't be so sensitive man. My 6-year old has beaten some of the worlds faster than I have. I just wanted to point out that Tidal Terror wasn't one of the harder levels for us.

And besides, I did come to your defense by saying a lot of the levels in DKC are trial-and-error. But quite honestly, how many games don't have a little trial-and-error? I haven't played much of Mario 3D World, but from the little I've played, I can definitely see some levels taking a few tries to learn all the strategies needed to succeed. I'm not one of those gamers who gets off on beating games with one play through. I enjoy struggling, and that's why the DK games are so great to me. Trial-and-error is just fine by me, and I think it's an absurd reason to rate a game negatively.

4 more days until the banana mania contest is over, I don't want first place so I win a trip to a ski resort because I don't have the time, but I would like to be a runner up and win myself a Wii U bundle....I can only dream!

@DudeSean The only part of that level which I believe is trial-and-error is the part where the waves go through the ship window. And frankly, that was hilarious. Anyway, if that level is trial-and-error then I'm definitely ok with more trial-and-error in TF!

Doesn't every game have a learning curve or trial-and-error? A level will seem new to you at first and you will make mistakes, but the more you play the level, the better you get and you'll know what to expect. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Oh wait, I got this! All these levels where there is complaint about trial and error is due to the fact that the obstacles one shot KO you and send you back real far. No one complains about, say, the jumping sharks because they only chunk out one heart.

Oh wait, I got this! All these levels where there is complaint about trial and error is due to the fact that the obstacles one shot KO you and send you back real far. No one complains about, say, the jumping sharks because they only chunk out one heart.

I think the DKC games, and to some degree all platformers, have always had trial-and-error gameplay. I don't think that's changed from the original until now. As for Tidal Terror, I thought it made it pretty clear that you needed to hide behind cover. Maybe you die once from not knowing the tidal wave would come, but other than that I thought it was fair. Also, the walls that crumble do so after one hit, it's not an instant death.

Tom McShea has always been a joke of a reviewer to me. I stopped going to Gamespot years ago because it just became too much for me to handle. He tends to blame the game for his own incompetence rather than actually trying to learn how to play.

That's a vid of someone playing Tidal Terror. I know that the guy playing has played the level before, but I fail to see where trial-and-error is found. There's no rocks to hide behind that cause instant death.